Here are 5 mistakes that people often make when they implement a new exercise routine into their lives. Make sure that you don’t fall for any of these!
1. If you are trying to lose weight, many people fall into the trap of simply running on the treadmill for an extended period of time. While this can be a good practice if you are training for a long race, if your goal is to get rid of a few extra pounds, the best workout would combine a cardio exercise with weight lifting. If you strictly focus on cardio, or strictly focus on lifting weights, you willbe deprived of some of the benefits that come when both types of exercise are combined.
2. Static stretches. If you don’t already know, static stretching is now considered to be worthless, and can even do more harm than good. Most of us grew up doing static stretches in gym class, and so that is how we are accustomed to stretching. An example of a static stretch would be reaching for your toes and holding that position for a count of 20 or 30 seconds. Basically anything that involves just holding a certain stretch for a given amount of time. If you would like to do stretching that actually makes a difference and will help you to have a more successful workout, then just look up some information about dynamic stretching.
3. Doing the exact same exercise routine every day is a mistake that people often make. Most people like to have a routine that they stick to day after day, but your body isn’t going to be able to reach its full potential if you don’t switch things up. This is because your body will reach a point where it adapts to the routine, and you will reach a plateau. After this occurs, you definitely won’t be reaching your full potential. To avoid this, switch up your workout before you hit the plateau. In order to accomplish the things that you are capable of, you could have 3 different routines and you can rotate through them, or maybe you can focus on a different exercise for each day of the week. For more ideas, check out this article that gives exercise tips when reaching a plateau.
4. Be careful of any exercise that can strain your back. If you like to do large amounts of sit ups and crunches, you could be compromising your spine (especially if you have your legs straight out in front of you, rather than bent.) Any exercise that forces you to bend your back repeatedly is probably not a good thing to include in your workout. There are other ab strengthening exercises (such as planks) that will do more for your 6 pack, while keeping your back straight.
5. Too many people work out, but don’t stay hydrated, or eat a good diet. If you don’t drink lots of fluids before, during, and after exercise, then you won’t be able to sweat as much as you should, because your body is trying to conserve water. Sweating is really good for you because it allows your body to cool down. So make sure to drink enough water for your workout! A good diet is also vital to your success. Exercise isn’t the cure for obesity, so don’t treat it as such. But, properly combined with a good diet, you can achieve the results that you desire!
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